Alaska Voices: Ballot Measure 1 infringes on our right to the land

Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat was established in 2015 with the specific intent to protect the interests of North Slope people and communities, and Ballot Measure 1 is a perfect example of why our organization exists today.

For years, the Alaska Native community has asked for appropriate consultation on issues that will impact our people, but that hasn’t happened. Instead, we’re faced with a proposition in Ballot Measure 1 that undermines the State of Alaska permitting process, reduces Native revenue sharing, and kills jobs and opportunities throughout rural Alaska.

Our communities survive because of resource development, and nobody from Washington, Colorado, California, New York or anywhere else has the right to tell us what we can or cannot do with our land and resources.